A tragedy unfolded in Charlotte when an eight-year-old girl died after being left in a hot car, as confirmed by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. On June 26, 2024, Freedom Division officers responded to a call for assistance on the 4100 block of Wilkinson Boulevard, encountering the critical condition of the child upon their arrival before she was taken to the hospital where she was later pronounced dead.

The initial police statement issued stated detectives from the Homicide Unit spearheaded the subsequent death investigation at the scene, joined by the Crime Scene Search to collect evidence and other CMPD divisions for support in this grim investigation, the mother of the deceased child was arrested and faces charges in relation to the incident.

Continuing investigations revealed the child suffered a fatal medical emergency due to the extreme heat after being left unattended in the vehicle. Ashlee Stallings, the 36-year-old mother of the victim, was arrested and has been charged with Involuntary Manslaughter and Child Abuse by Willful Act Causing Serious Injury, as detailed by a report by the CMPD; she has since been placed in the custody of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office.

Soon after the arrest, CMPD confirmed that the victim's next of kin were notified about the distressing development in this unsettling case, while the circumstances surrounding how the child was left unattended in the hot weather remain under investigation, authorities issued a stark reminder to the public about the deadly risks of hot vehicles during the warm season, though this does not console the irreversible loss felt by a family and community shaken by such avoidable tragedy.